Sunday, May 24, 2009

To celebrate the completion of his new swimming pool, businessman Jamie Stewart invited a few friends and family over for a dip.

But the last thing the bemused host expected was to be disturbed by a gatecrasher - in the shape of a half-ton bull.

The massive animal had escaped from a nearby field and was being chased by farm-hands when he crashed into Mr. Stewart's garden - and dived headlong into the water.

And since such a large beast could hardly use the step-ladder to climb out, he was forced to tread water for the next three hours until firemen could drain away the water and hoist him back onto dry land.

Last night Mr. Stewart described his astonishment at the unexpected visitor who had taken the first swim in his new pool.

The 41-year-old said: "I absolutely couldn't believe my eyes. There was a bull swimming in our new pool. "I think he had perfected his front crawl by the time he was rescued."

The dramatic pool-party took place on Friday. Work had just been completed on the luxury outdoor heated swimming pool Mr. Stewart had ordered for his home.

Workmen had spent the day pumping in ten thousand gallons of water and Mr. Stewart's guests started to arrive in the late afternoon for the inaugural swim.

However celebrations took a surprise turn when a two-year-old bull from a neighbouring farm jumped a fence and escaped from his pasture.

The young animal, whose full show-name is Broombrae Tramp, was apparently intent on making closer acquaintance with a herd of cows in another field.

But when his owner, farmer Alexander Jack, gave chase, the bull changed course and instead crashed into Mr. Stewart's garden.

The pool was covered at the time so the animal was unable to see the potential hazard, but immediately burst through the canvas and began to splash about in the four-foot deep water.

While neighbors, friends and family crowded round to watch the drama unfold, six firemen from the Fife brigade joined a local vet to help rescue the hapless party animal.

Mr. Stewart, a company director, added: "My family and I stood back and let the emergency services do all the work.

"I don't think they were terribly pleased with us - we stood in the garden with glasses of wine and shouted unhelpful suggestions."

Mr. Stewart's children Samantha, 12, Lucy, 10, and Fin bar, 7, were delighted with their unusual party guest.

He added: "The kids thought it was great. They were a bit disappointed that they didn't get to have the swim they were planning but they ended up with a much better story to tell their friends."

Mr. Stewart's partner Gillian runs Acorn nursery from the Kinaldy farmhouse, near St Andrews, but evacuated the children as a precaution.

A three hour rescue attempt saw a vet fire two tranquillizer bullets into the bull - nicknamed Pedro by firemen - before the pool was drained and the rescue crew used a digger to lift him out.

Broombrae Tramp is now recovering from his ordeal in a secure field.

The outdoor heated pool, designed by Alba Pools, will need minor repairs and to be refilled.

A spokeswoman for Fife Fire and Rescue said: "It was a very unusual call out but we sometimes deal with rescuing different animals.

"Our crews are comprehensively trained so they're used to dealing with surprise situations but in this case they did take all their directions from the vet who was called to the scene."

Farmer Mr. Jack, from Lahill Craig Farm in Upper Largo, added: "The bull is only two years old and is full of the joys of life. You know what young men are when they get beside a crowd of attractive women.

"Broombrae Tramp was bored being in our field and decided he'd join our neighbor's cows.

"Before we knew what had happened, he had jumped the fence and was headed for Jamie's swimming pool.

"We tried to catch him but our attempts to trap him in the next field went a bit askew.

"He's normally a very placid animal but he just wasn't willing to go home on Friday without a fight.

"Seeing the maiden cows got him a bit heated."

The farmer can only hope Broombrae Tramp's unexpected dip has cooled his passion.